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Dating. Did you get scared reading that word? Did you break out in a nervous sweat? Or rather, did you smile as you thought of a special person in your life? Or remember great memories? Maybe you read it, chuckled and thought, “Dating, what’s that?”

Ah, the many feelings and questions about dating. One thing that we can get right about it is that dating isn’t always easy. Sometimes controlling the dating situation is just out of your hands. To put it into words every person who has lived during the snowy season in the Fox Cities can relate to, dating can resemble trying to walk on the sidewalk in the middle of winter. It can be a walk that’s enjoyable, walking through a winter wonderland in the fresh air when all of a sudden you slip on that pesky ice patch that’s hidden beneath the snow. Then you’re on the ground, staring up at the gray sky trying to calculate how many more weeks there are before the beginning of spring. Plenty of us have heard horror stories about walking in the winter.

Now, I’m not trying to make dating seem like it’s this thing that everyone should try to avoid. I’m a hopeless romantic, I live for the stories that come from dates. The point is that dating can be difficult for everyone – single, engaged or married, young or old. People have busy schedules and families that need care. Taking a break from dating others to, in a sense, date yourself can be a hard decision. There’s pressure that’s put on people to date, or even who to date. There’s even pressure on how much to spend on a date.

Nevertheless, dates should be exciting. By writing this blog series about date ideas in the Fox Cities, I hope to shed a light on the unique possibilities the Fox Cities has to offer. Hopefully I can alleviate a little pressure from (at least) this one aspect of dating. As much as I love the classic dinner and movie date, the Fox Cities holds unique opportunities that go beyond that. I hope to explore date ideas that can be flexible to schedules, won’t break wallets and simply be fun for anyone at any stage in their life. Late this past June, my parents celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. It was also my dad’s second year of being retired. I remember not long after he retired, people would ask my mom how the transition had been going for the two of them. And she would answer “It’s been fun, it’s like we almost have gotten the chance to go back to dating again.”

Spending time with someone you love or even might just want to get to know better is always going to be important. Whether that person is yourself, a friend, a stranger, a significant other or a spouse. Dates can be times where you can go to new places, try new things, strengthen your relationships and even discover things about not only another person, but also yourself. Maybe when the word “dating” comes up in conversation or in a blog post, there could be a new feeling of hope that goes along with it. I know personally it has for me. Here’s to the unexpected potential dates of any kind can hold for anyone and to the great moments that can take root from them.

Tell us – do you have any favorite date ideas in the Fox Cities that are flexible and affordable?

Until next time,

Sarah-Hopeless Romantic of the Fox Cities